Iceline Trail and Emerald Lake Loop
Guided Backpacking Trips
4 Days, 3 Nights 21.8MI / 35KM
Trip Highlights
Our Iceline Trail and Emerald Lake Loop Canadian Rockies backpacking trip is an outstanding adventure in Yoho National Park. The Park is true to its Cree language name, when translated it means “awe” and “wonder”. This moderate backpacking loop takes us past multiple waterfalls, beneath towering mountain peaks, beside colorful alpine lakes and to the base of several majestic glaciers. This 4-day hike allows you to experience the spectacular scenery and natural wonders that the Canadian Rockies are so well known for. Highlights include sweeping views of the Yoho River and Little Yoho River Valleys, Canada’s second largest waterfall Takakkaw Falls, the world renowned Iceline Trail, and 3 stunning campsite locations at the base of Twin Falls, by the Little Yoho River and on the banks of Yoho Lake. The trip begins and concludes from the beautiful and famous mountain town of Banff, which is a perfect location to base your explorations of the surrounding Canadian Rockies.
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Waterfalls & Glaciers
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River Valleys & Alpine Lakes
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Wildlife Habitat
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Hike & Explore Yoho Nat'l Park
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Stunning Mountain Views
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Opportunities to See Wildlife
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Visit Famous Town of Banff
Book This Trip
View Dates
Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
4 Days, 3 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
4-7 mi -
Group Size
4-8 Guests
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
This trip has mostly moderate days of hiking (up to 7 miles) with moderate elevation gains (up to 2,445), which is why this trip is given a Level 3 difficulty rating.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however occasionally trips are subject to itinerary changes based on a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to: lodging/campground availability, extreme weather, political or bureaucratic obstacles, earthquakes, fires, flooding and more. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Pre-trip Arrival
You will need to arrive the day before your trip in time to attend the orientation meeting at 5 pm at the Tundra Room at The Banff Caribou Lodge, 521 Banff Avenue, Banff. Your guide will cover introductions, a thorough briefing of your route, hand out group and personal gear and answer any last-minute questions you may have. Dinner & lodging is on your own tonight; make sure you have a hearty meal and a good night’s sleep as tomorrow we hit the trail!
Day 1
Driving Duration: 1.5 hours
Hiking Mileage: 4.5 miles (7.2 km)
Elevation Gain: 490 feet (150 m)
Our Canadian Rockies trek begins with a pick-up from your hotel and a scenic drive crossing over the great divide and into British Columbia. Be sure to eat a good breakfast before we pick you up, so you are ready and fueled for the morning! Our first day is a tour of 5 waterfalls! Arriving at the parking lot we have an immediate spectacular view of Takakkaw Falls, the second tallest waterfall in Canada, rising over 1200ft in the air. From here we’ll follow a spectacular trail through pockets of temperate rainforest through the Yoho River Valley. On the way we’ll enjoy breaks at the wondrous Laughing Falls, Point of Lace Falls and Angel’s Staircase Falls. Tonight’s camp is near the base of our final waterfall of the day, Twin Falls. The roar of the river and plunging glacial fed water will be our backdrop and lull us to sleep after a well-deserved gourmet meal prepared by your guide.
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 6.4 miles (10.3 km)
Elevation Gain: 2445 feet (745 m)
Elevation Loss: 985 feet (300 m)
Waking to the smell of coffee or tea and a delicious breakfast, we’ll pack up and throw on our backpacks and continue our loop hike. We are quickly rewarded with up close views of Twin Falls. These falls are unique with two channels of rushing water that fall 260ft side by side from a rocky precipice before braiding together and crashing into the river below. Continuing upwards, the trail gets steeper as we hike around to the top of the falls. If time allows, we will explore the surrounding valley full of cascades and waterfalls before continuing on our journey. Before reaching the top of Whaleback we cross a seasonal bridge over the rushing water that becomes Twin Falls and take in 360-degree views of glaciers and alpine peaks before dropping down to the floor of the Little Yoho River Valley. Our camp tonight lies in this magnificent valley beside the clear rushing waters of the river. After another top-notch meal, we’ll drift to sleep in anticipation for our next day of outstanding alpine scenery.
Day 3
Hiking Mileage: 6.5 miles (10.4 km)
Elevation Gain: 720 feet (220 m)
Elevation Loss: 1310 feet (400 m)
Today is often the highlight of the trip as we traverse the superb Iceline Trail. Starting off climbing a series of switchbacks we’ll spend the majority of the day high in the alpine. We are rewarded with astonishing sweeping views of towering peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes and the valley below. Our trail and views remain astounding as we arrive to our camp at Yoho Lake. This lake is filled with spectacular turquoise water and has few of the famous Park’s Canada red Adirondack chairs for lounging and relaxing after this breathtaking day of world class hiking. Sit back, kick off your boots, and enjoy the peace and quiet as your guide whips up our final celebratory dinner of the trip.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 4.4 miles (7 km)
Elevation Loss: 1640 feet (500 m)
Driving Duration: 1.5 hours
Today may be the final day of our trip, but we still haven’t seen all of the unique natural wonders this outstanding loop hike has to offer. Our trail passes by more beautiful waterfalls, lush forests, and large views on our way to Emerald Lake. The lake is enclosed by Mount Burgess, Wapta Mountain, and the mountains of the President Range. This basin traps storms, causing more frequent rain in summer and heavy snowfalls in winter. This influx of moisture works with the lake’s low elevation to produce a unique selection of flora. Trees found here are more typical of some of British Columbia’s wet interior forests, such as western red cedar, western yew, western hemlock and western white pine. Our hike ends at the banks of this spectacularly colored lake. We will find our private shuttle at the trailhead and return to Banff reminiscing about our recent adventure and planning our next. What a trip it has been in the Canadian Rockies!
Trip Dates
Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.
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What's Included
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A detailed trip packet that takes the guesswork out of your travel, training, packing, and preparing for the trip
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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All meals from lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 4
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Transportation for the duration of the tour starting on Day 1 and ending on Day 4 in Banff
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Gear including multi-day backpack, tent, sleeping pad, trekking poles and more
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High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use)
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
What's Not Included
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Transportation to Banff, Alberta -
All expenses due to unavoidable events e.g. flight cancellation, personal illness, strikes, etc. (we recommend trip insurance coverage for these variables)
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Clothes, rain gear, and footwear
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Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Guide gratuities are optional and at the discretion of each customer. A suggested guideline is to reward outstanding service with a tip of 10-20% of the total trip cost. Local currency is preferred, or USD is also appreciated. Electronic tipping is not available.
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Trip insurance that includes medical coverage and at least $200,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage (strongly encouraged)
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on this trip is in premier 1-person or 2-person backcountry tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
You’ll meet your hiking guide and group in Banff, Alberta for an orientation meeting at 5 pm the evening before the trip begins at the Tundra Room at The Banff Caribou Lodge, 521 Banff Avenue, Banff. Your guide will cover introductions, a thorough briefing of your route, hand out group and personal gear, and answer any last-minute questions you may have. The next morning we’ll pick you up at your hotel for transport to the trailhead.
Our Canada team will be in contact approximately 45 days before your trip to answer any last minute questions you may have.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Banff, Alberta
Closest Airport: Calgary International Airport (YYC)
Flights to and from Calgary International Airport are the guest’s responsibility.
Calgary to Banff
Multiple rental car companies are available at the Calgary airport or you can book a shuttle service.
We recommend booking through Banff Airporter. They are Banff’s original airport shuttle service provider that has been around for over 25 years. As a Wildland guest, you will receive a 15% discount on their daily shuttle service between the Calgary Airport and Banff. Go to Banff Airporter and then click Book Now. Proceed through the reservation and type – WILDLAND – in the “Promo Code” section on the final payment page to receive the discount.
Banff Airporter
(888) 449-2901
Banff Airporter
Brewster Banff Airport Express
(877) 625-4372
https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/brewster-express/schedule-locations/
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
In the interest of your safety, it’s important to refer to the Center for Disease Control website for up-to-date recommendations on immunizations before your trip.
Guides
Our approach to international travel is to combine the best of two worlds: the dialed-in details, professionalism and consistency Wildland trips are known for; and the cultural immersion and intimate regional knowledge that only locals can provide. To excel with this approach, we vet and hire the best local guides, welcome them into the Wildland family and train them to meet our standard of excellence with every aspect of a trip. But along with managing logistics and safety, your guides will teach you about the area’s history and culture, and provide a level of familiarity and intimate detail only locals can.
Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 8 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case-by-case basis
Trip Insurance
Field evacuation, repatriation, and medical insurance is highly recommended on all trips (field evacuation and repatriation minimum coverage is a combined $200,000 USD).
We recommend IMG/iTravelinsured. They are one of the world’s leading providers of travel insurance.
For information on the recommended IMG/iTravelinsured policies please click here.
If you already have insurance or wish to purchase from anyone other than IMG/iTravelinsured, we recommend careful consultation with the provider to ensure appropriate coverage. This is because many providers have a number of policy exclusions.
Reviews
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Jonathan K
1 year agoFrom start to finish, the experience was nothing short of amazing.
I recently completed a 4-day backpacking adventure led by Rachael, and I can't recommend them highly enough. From start to finish, the experience was nothing short of amazing. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the trails, local wildlife, and terrain. They shared fascinating insights on the area's history and ecology, making the journey not only physically rewarding but intellectually stimulating as well. They were fun, enthusiastic, and always ready with a word of encouragement during challenging sections. It felt like backpacking with a good friend who also happens to be a seasoned pro.
Eileen G
3 years agoFantastic!
My first trip with Wildland Trekking was amazing! the food was great (I am vegan)! The views amazing! The height and difficulty ratings were accurate. Our guide was fantastic! I am already starting to plan my next trip with the whole family this time.
Scott W
3 years agoGreat Trip
The view from the Whaleback was perhaps the most spectacular scenic location I have ever experienced. The pace of this trek was casual. The guide was highly qualified. The participants were engaging and caring individuals.
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